BurmaNet News, May 4, 2007

[Editor]

May 4, 2007 Issue # 3197


INSIDE BURMA
Mizzima: China, Russia veto at UNSC prompts violence in Burma
Irrawaddy: Eye specialist visits Aung San Suu Kyi
Khonumthung News: Christian preacher and disciple arrested in Myanmar
DVB: Karenni rebels jailed for 10 years
The Irrawaddy: Rain swamps streets in Rangoon

BUSINESS / TRADE
AP: ASEAN, EU agree to launch free trade talks after wrangling over Myanmar
Xinhua: Myanmar to grant more jade mining blocks to local businesses

ASEAN
AFP: Bush to hold first summit with ASEAN member states

REGIONAL
Mizzima: ADB denies any connection with infrastructure projects in Burma

INTERNATIONAL
The Nation: UN welcomes resettlement moves for Burmese refugees

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

May 3, Mizzima News
China, Russia veto at UNSC prompts violence in Burma - Ko Dee

An emboldened junta's increased violent crackdown on political dissidence
in Burma has been prompted by China and Russia 's veto on the resolution
at the United Nations Security Council on Burma, 88 generation student
leaders said today.

"Ever since the Burma resolution at the UNSC was vetoed by China and
Russia , the junta has stepped up violence against political activists.
And we feel that it is as if China and Russia have given the junta a
license to be violent on political dissidents," Jimmy a second rung 88
generation student leader told Mizzima.

Despite, the United States' efforts to put Burma on the UN Security
Council permanent agenda, two veto wielding countries, China and Russia ,
on January 12, rejected the resolution.

"Looking at a series of incidents that took place recently, it is clear
the junta is using local authorities and civil organisations to attack
political activists, Jimmy said.

In March, members of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development
Association (USDA) in Hintatha Township attacked Myint Aye and members of
Human Rights Promoters and Defenders.

The junta also closed down shops owned by members of opposition political
party – the National League for Democracy - and harassed activists praying
for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, Jimmy said.

Min Ko Naing, the high profile 88 student leader said, "While the junta
slows down criticizing political activists through its state-run media,
it's tactics have drastically changed and become more violent and more
daring ever since the Burma issue was vetoed by China and Russia at the
UNSC."

"It is like China and Russia have encouraged the military junta to
rampantly suppress democracy activists. So, it is high time that the
international community raises the question to the two veto wielding
countries, and how they intend to solve the problems in Burma," Min Ko
Naing added.

U Myint Thein, the NLD spokesperson also said the junta, following the
double veto by China and Russia at the Security Council, has enforced a
violent crackdown on activists.

However, the Rangoon based self-styled nationalist, U Win Naing said, "The
junta's stepped up crackdown on activists and political dissidence are not
the results of the Russia, China veto at the Security Council but the
junta's fear of a public uprising due to the present circumstances that
the people are facing."

"As Burma's socio-economy scenario deteriorates day by day and poverty
increases, an uprising or unrest among the people is possible. The junta
fears this, so, they are using power to violently crackdown on
dissidents," added U Win Naing.

____________________________________

May 4, Irrawaddy
Eye specialist visits Aung San Suu Kyi - Htet Aung

Detained Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi received a medical check
up on Thursday by an eye specialist together with her family physician,
according to a reliable source in Rangoon.

Dr Tin Myo Win, her family physician, met Suu Kyi during his regular
monthly check up on April 27. The eye specialist was brought in six days
later after Tin Myo Win's visit.

The source couldn't elaborate on her health condition. However, Myint
Thein, an NLD spokesperson, said, "She is in good health."

The 61-year-old democracy icon has had several health problems since her
house arrest in May 2003. She received an ultrasound examination during
November 2006 and underwent gynecological surgery in September 2003. Suu
Kyi has been under house arrest for more than 11 of the past 18 years.

Sources who live near her home said the residence has been experiencing
daily electricity blackouts.

Suu Kyi is said to maintain a daily schedule of activities: religious
meditation early in the morning followed by physical exercise and
monitoring radio news programs. She spends most of her time reading books.

The NLD continues to call for her release, Myint Thein said. With the
fourth anniversary of the Depayin attack coming up on May 30, a group of
NLD members have marked May for a “Free Aung San Suu Kyi” campaign.

____________________________________

May 4, Khonumthung News
Christian preacher and disciple arrested in Myanmar

Persecution of Christians, continue unabated by Myanmar military rulers,
with a Christian preacher being sentenced to two years in jail along with
his disciple. Their crime – they had gone abroad allegedly in an illegal
manner on March 26.

Mr. Tu Rin Tun (40) from Kawthoung town in the southern parts of
Tanintharyi division and Mr. Min Phyo (18) from Monywa township in Sagaing
division have been detained in Monywa jail for illegally going abroad
under the Immigration Act 13/1.

The authorities have accused the duo of crossing the international Indo –
Myanmar border and travelling to Mizoram state, India without permission
from the Immigration Department of Myanmar.

The Immigration Department from Monywa town in Sagaing division arrested
them after they came back from an evangelical trip to Mizoram.

"If they really intend to take action against all those who had gone to
neighbouring countries illegally, they would have to keep innumerable
people in jail. In this case, they intentionally jailed the religious
persona to stop preaching of the gospel to the Christian minority," said a
person close to the accused.

Mr. Tu Rin Tun, last year began a crusade in Aizawl, capital of Mizoram
for migrants from Myanmar working in the Indian state. At the end of the
sermon in Aizawl, he returned to Myanmar along with Mr. Min Pyo.

Mr. Min Pyo is said to have been planning to study the bible at the
theological training school in Kawthoung in Tanintharyi division, in
southern Myanmar. They were arrested when the preacher and he were
applying for the national identity card at the immigration office in
Monywa.

Jail authorities demanded Kyat 400,000 (US $ 320) from the detainees'
relatives to prevent shifting the accused to concentration camps. The
relatives had already bribed Kyat 100,000 (US $ 80) to the jail
authorities. The rest of the money is yet to be paid, according to
sources. – KNG.

____________________________________

May 4, Democratic Voice of Burma
Karenni rebels jailed for 10 years

The joint secretary and two members of the Kayan New Land Party have been
sentenced to 10 years in prison after allegedly being caught in possession
of fire arms last month.

KNLP joint secretary Saw Lwin and the two party members, whose names have
not been released, were reportedly arrested in Yamethin, Mandalay Divison
on April 27 when a house they were staying in was raided by the police,
according to sources close to the men.

“U Saw Lwin is in charge of gold mining in Yamethin and was told by his
party to go and supervise a mine there,” a source told DVB.

Saw Lwin reportedly stayed at a friend’s house in Yamethin with a group of
about 11 other men, including the two who were also arrested and
sentenced. The house was raided by the township authorities at about 1am
on April 28.

“They found five guns and some chemicals used to purify gold,” the source
said.

Saw Lwin and his two colleagues were immediately arrested and sent to
Mandalay prison. They were later sentenced to three years each in prison
for violating Burma’s weapons act and seven years each for breaching the
sensitive commodities act.

But sources close to the case said key pieces of evidence against the
three men never turned up during their court hearing.

“A viss of purified gold, a digital camera and a pair of sunglasses worth
around 100,000 kyat never turned up at the court for evidence,” a source
told DVB on condition of anonymity.

The KNLP, which has a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese military, said
yesterday they planned to appeal against the sentences.

____________________________________

May 4, The Irrawaddy
Rain swamps streets in Rangoon

Torrential rains in Rangoon have caused flash floods and disrupted
transportation in several areas of the former capital, according to local
residents.

Heavy rains pounded the city on Friday, with more expected in the coming
days. Thailand’s Meteorological Department said on Friday that a tropical
depression in the Gulf of Thailand had moved into the Andaman Sea region
and would soon be over Burma, bringing more heavy rain in the next few
days.

Water stood two feet deep on some roads in Rangoon, one staff from a
company staff told The Irrawaddy on Friday, causing cars, buses and trucks
to break down in the middle of roads throughout the city.

Drainage tunnels beneath Rangoon don’t work well, the staff added, and
flooding is common during the rainy season.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

May 4, Associated Press
ASEAN, EU agree to launch free trade talks after wrangling over Myanmar -
Eileen Ng

Kuala Lumpur: Southeast Asian nations and the European Union agreed Friday
to start free trade talks, a breakthrough after more than two years of
wrangling over military-ruled Myanmar's poor human rights record, a senior
official said.

The decision was made in Brunei where economic ministers of the 10 member
nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met with their
counterparts from Europe and Japan, said ASEAN secretary-general Ong Keng
Yong. The two-day meeting ended Friday.

"We agreed to launch ASEAN-EU FTA negotiations. We will establish a joint
working committee to work on this. They will address all thorny issues,"
Ong told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Brunei's
capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

"The journey is still very long but we have taken it to the next step
already after talking for more than 2 1/2 years."

ASEAN ministers also moved closer to forging a free trade pact with Japan
by November after both sides bridged differences over tariff cuts, Ong
said.

The EU was ASEAN's third-largest trading partner in 2005, with total trade
of US$140.5 billion (euro102.5 billion), according to the ASEAN Web site.

The informal talks in Brunei, described as a ministerial retreat, were
attended by the Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari
as well as EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson.

Mandelson said the EU's stand on Myanmar has not changed despite its
decision to start FTA talks, according to a report from Malaysia's
national news agency Bernama.

"I think this is an important further step in relations between EU and
ASEAN and I am glad we're kicking this off today in Brunei," he was quoted
as saying.

Bernama said an agreement would increase EU's exports to ASEAN by 24.2
percent while ASEAN's exports to the EU would rise 18.5 percent.

Myanmar's slow democratic reforms are an embarrassment to ASEAN and
previously hampered its plan to launch free trade talks with the EU, which
applies economic and political sanctions on the military-ruled nation.

EU officials have said talks depend on ASEAN forcing Myanmar one of its
members to meet global human rights standards.

Myanmar has come under international condemnation for jailing
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of other political
dissidents. The military, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962, has promised
a road map to democracy, which has been dismissed as a sham as it has made
little progress.

But in recent years, countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and
Philippines have become vocal in urging the junta to allow democracy, a
radical departure from ASEAN's policy of noninterference in each other's
affairs.

The other members of ASEAN are Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and
Laos. The last two countries already enjoy zero tariffs on exports to
Europe under EU's concessions for very poor countries.

Ong did not say when the free trade talks with EU will start. He said the
joint working committee will convene soon to discuss the formalities and
the agenda.

The negotiations would be tough and would take years, Ong said.

"This is the first time we are undertaking such a huge FTA negotiation,"
he said. "The EU is an integrated market economy and they have many rules
and regulations for every single product."

Ong said Myanmar will participate in talks despite EU sanctions, he said.

____________________________________

May 4, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar to grant more jade mining blocks to local businesses

Yangon: Myanmar will grant 319 jade mining blocks for engagement by local
entrepreneurs in a bid to promote jade production in the country, Myanmar
Times reported Friday.

Among those unexplored jade blocks allotted, 139 are in northern Kachin
state's Moenyin and 180 in Sagaing division's Khamhti, the report quoted
the state-run Myanmar Gems Enterprise (MGE) as saying.

Each block measures one acre (4,000 square meters) and the blocks are to
be leased on a three-year term, the report said.

Jade stands as one of Myanmar's major foreign currency earners, ranking
the fourth largest export earning sector in the fiscal  year 2005-06 with
205.47 million U.S. dollars, according to the  report.

In November last year, new mining blocks were also allotted which included
77 in Shan state and 39 in Mandalay division for gem mining, while 99 near
Lonekin in Kachin state for jade mining, the weekly's earlier report has
said.

Value-added market in Myanmar has made good progress over the past three
years. The country reportedly exported one ton of value- added jade
products to Germany in October last year and is  planning to export more
value-added jade products to Spain later.
There are six mining areas in Myanmar under gem and jade exploration,
namely, Mogok, Mongshu, Lonkin/Phakant, Khamhti,  Moenyin and Namyar.

For the development of gem industry, Myanmar has been holding gem shows
annually starting 1964 and introducing the mid-year one  since 1992 and
the special one since 2004. On each occasion, the country's quality gems,
jade, pearl and jewelry worth of millions  of dollars were put on sale
mainly through competitive bidding.

In the just-ended 44th annual Myanmar gems emporium held in March, which
lasted for 13 days, 3,652 lots of jade, gems and pearl were sold out of
nearly 6,000 such lots displayed and the  emporium was attended by 3,421
merchants, of whom over 2,000 are  foreign ones.

Myanmar, a well-known producer of gems in the world, possesses nine gems
-- ruby, diamond, cat's eye, emerald, topaz, pearl, sapphire, coral and a
variety of garnet tinged with yellow.

The country enacted the New Gemstone Law in 1995, allowing national
entrepreneurs to mine, produce, transport and sell finished gemstone and
manufactured jewelry at home and abroad.

In 2000, the government started mining of gems and jade in joint ventures
with 10 private companies under profit sharing basis.

Meanwhile, Myanmar is working to establish the first ever gem merchants'
association as also part of its bid to enhance the development of gem
mining industry.

____________________________________
ASEAN

May 4, Agence France Presse
Bush to hold first summit with ASEAN member states

Washington: US President George W. Bush is expected to hold his first
summit with all 10 Southeast Asian leaders, including the region's most
troublesome member, Myanmar, in September.

The landmark meeting is aimed at highlighting 30 years of official ties
between Washington and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Thursday.

President Bush has visited Southeast Asia twice since his came to office
in 2001, "and we look forward to his third visit when he attends the
ASEAN-US Commemorative Summit in Singapore in September," Lee said at a
forum in Washington ahead of talks with Bush at the White House on Friday.

Noting that Bush's predecessor Bill Clinton had also visited Southeast
Asia three times, Lee said, "this bipartisan engagement is encouraging."

Bush has over the last couple of years met annually with leaders of seven
ASEAN states -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam -- which are also members of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum -- at the sidelines of the forum's
annual talks.

ASEAN's other members Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are not APEC members.

Myanmar has been a thorn in relations between ASEAN and Washington, which
has imposed investment and trade sanctions on Yangon, where the ruling
junta is accused of massive human rights violations, suppression of
political dissent and refusal to bring democratic reforms.

Lee said "ASEAN-US relations should not be held hostage by Myanmar, which
is undoubtedly a concern, including to other ASEAN members."

"The US has a broader strategic interest in ASEAN, and should not allow
this single matter to hinder its efforts to actively engage ASEAN
countries, both individually and as a group," he said.

Lee, whose country holds the rotating chair of ASEAN this year, said that
the 30th anniversary of US-ASEAN engagement was a "timely opportunity to
bring the relationship to a higher level."

He suggested collaboration in energy and the environment and on the
prevention of transboundary pollution and stepped up cooperation in the
fight against terrorism and health pandemics such as HIV/AIDS and avian
flu.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

May 4, Mizzima News
ADB denies any connection with infrastructure projects in Burma - Mungpi

The Asian Development Bank today denied having any connection with the
Burmese military junta's infrastructure projects in Burma, as alleged by
activists.

A human rights group, the Earthrights International, has alleged that
while ADB, has not been providing direct loans to Burma since 1986, it is
indirectly giving technical assistance to Burma as part of its Greater
Mekong Subregion programme.

ERI said, the ADB under the GMS programme supports two controversial
projects - the Asian Highway and the Ta Sang Dam on the Salween River -
which have recorded accelerated rights abuses in the regions where they
are being implemented.

The ADB, however, said though Burma, which is a founding member of the GMS
Program, is allowed to participate in the GMS meetings and other events,
there is no involvement of the ADB in the infrastructure projects of the
Burmese government.

"There is no connection of the ADB, either bilaterally or through GMS,
with any infrastructure projects that the Government of Myanmar [Burma ]
may be implementing, including the Tasang dam and the East-West corridor
highway in Myanmar [Burma ]," the ADB told Mizzima in an email response.

The ADB, however, admitted that Burma being a member of the GMS receives
regional Technical Assistance funds, which are used to facilitate the GMS
meetings and events. But it said, "The total amount involved is rather
nominal."

But the ERI in a press statement released yesterday said, "In 2002, an ADB
funded grant specifically identified the Ta Sang Dam project to be a part
of the Mekong Power Grid."

"We are only asking the ADB to withhold these projects in Burma until
there is a responsible and accountable government in Burma," Naing Htoo,
the Burma project coordinator of the ERI told Mizzima.

He added that the ADB should improve accountability, transparency in its
projects in order to check side effects caused by its projects and should
provide protection to the most marginalized citizens of the ADB Developing
Member Countries.

The ADB today began its four-day 40th Annual Meeting of the Board of
Governors (AGM) in Kyoto, Japan. And the ERI said it is sending
representatives to meet the Board of Governors.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

May 4, The Nation
UN welcomes resettlement moves for Burmese refugees - Jim Pollard

Senior United Nations officials have welcomed Thai government moves to
allow Burmese refugees to be resettled abroad.

Some 8,700 Burmese refugees have been moved to third countries over the
past year and a half, and a further 10,000 are expected to depart this
year, according to Erika Feller, the assistant UN High Commissioner for
Refugees.

Feller, who spoke at a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club
in Bangkok late on Thursday, said she was "very pleased to see the change
in atmosphere at Tham Hin" camp in Kanchanaburi.

The camp was crowded and "was a very depressed place when I toured there
two years ago, but it's changed remarkably", she told journalists.

"Resettlement has been a major factor in that regard - it has created more
space and given people expectancy," she said.

A downside to the resettlement programme is that the camps have lost a lot
of teachers and medics, but work is being done to replace those service
providers, Feller added.

The assistant commissioner said more than 80,000 Burmese refugees out of
the 140,000 or so in camps along the border had been given identity cards
recently, and this was also "very positive".

She urged Thai authorities to pursue plans for the refugees to be able to
work in the immediate vicinity of their camps, so they can develop
livelihood opportunities and employment skills.

Feller also said she had spoken with the Thai and Lao authorities about
the 155 Hmong refugees at Nong Khai detention centre.

She said the UNHCR was concerned because most of the refugees - about 90
of them - were young children and the facility was "very cramped" with
little privacy.

"We explored the possibility perhaps to move them away from Nong Khai to a
more receptive environment - better for children."

Feller and UNHCR country representative Hasim Utkan both said the 155
Hmong should be resettled abroad, as many of those at Nong Khai were
registered "people of concern" who should not be forcibly returned.

However, she admitted that Vientiane would prefer that the Hmong at Nong
Khai be "returned home".

Thai officials are due to discuss the matter with their Lao counterparts
in a few weeks' time when a bilateral border committee is due to meet.

A move to deport the Hmong at the Nong Khai IDC in late January provoked a
near riot at the detention centre, with Hmong men barracking themselves
inside and threatening to commit mass suicide.

Hmong groups in the United States say Vientiane is determined to deport
the 155, because they include two prominent leaders of jungle Hmong groups
who have extensive knowledge of massacres and the allegedly brutal
campaign to quell the last pockets of Hmong "resistance" in central
northern Laos.

Feller said Vientiane feared that if the Hmong were resettled it would
create a precedent and a "pull factor" effect encouraging more refugees.

But she is hopeful that a positive humanitarian solution can be found.

"We hope they will be able to allowed to pursue a future outside Thailand,
and Laos, if Thailand and Laos can agree on that."